All Posts by alex dobie

Apple's new cut-price iPhone model is still more expensive than many high-end Android phones
Apple has this morning launched an 8GB version of the iPhone 5c — a new budget offering for those willing to trade cut-down internal storage for a slightly reduced price tag. In the UK, a SIM-free 8GB iPhone 5c will set you back £429 directly from Apple's online store — a saving of only £40 compared to...

British mobile operator Vodafone has announced that it'll exclusively carry the gold color Samsung Galaxy S5 "from launch." The gold GS5, like other models, will go up for pre-order from next Friday, March 28, ahead of an April 11 launch.
The "copper gold" Galaxy S5 is one of four colors available at launch, the others being charcoal black, shimmering white and electric blue — you'll find more...

Want to ditch the fixed Sony screen protector? There are a couple of options to consider
Sony's fixed screen protectors — officially known as "anti-shatter film" — are finally a thing of the past with the Xperia Z2 series. But the vast majority of Sony smartphones on the market today still come fitted with these slimy-feeling plastic sheets over their displays — and sometimes on the back glass...

UK carrier EE could be about to launch its own-branded Android phone, if a photo obtained by Engadget is to be believed. The tiny picture doesn't reveal much besides an EE-themed skin and a squarish design with capacitive keys. But apparently it'll be LTE-capable, and today's report indicates that it'll also support Cat. 4, allowing it to take advantage of the carrier's fastest 4G speeds.
We'...

New accessory tracks daily activities and shows 'simple' notifications
Samsung is betting big on mobile fitness gadgets this year. Exercise and health tracking a major focus of the Galaxy S5, as well as the new Gear 2 series smartwatches, and of course the Gear Fit. But the Korean company might have another trick up its sleeve, in the form of a competitor to traditional low-powered fitness...

19-megapixel phone-camera hybrid on the way later this year?
The Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom wasn't our favorite device of 2013. It was too bulky for a smartphone, and offered lackluster image quality compared to most point-and-shoot cameras. Nevertheless, it seems Samsung might be about to follow up on its phone-camera hybrid in 2014 with a Galaxy S5 Zoom. Benchmark info from GFXBench points to a...

Minuum, the Android keyboard app that shrinks its keys down into almost a single line of characters, has concluded beta testing of its version 2.0 release, and the new version is now available Google Play. The app, a product of Y-Combinator startup Whirlscape, has been available since last year, but the latest version brings reduced keyboard lag, new languages and bug fixes. It's also...

Pre-release leaks have given us a pretty good look at HTC's next big thing
We're just a couple of weeks out from the announcement of HTC's 2014 flagship smartphone, the "all new" HTC One — also known by the codename "M8." And thanks to a steady trickle of pre-release leaks, we've already been able to learn a significant amount about the M8, both inside and out, ahead of the expected March 25...

LTE roaming coming to more countries, including U.S., Italy, Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands by summer
UK mobile operator EE has announced that its customers can now use 4G LTE networks in Spain and France, with 4G roaming in these countries available "immediately" through the carrier's existing roaming data bundles for consumers and small business customers. EE says it plans to...

Buyer seemingly nabs 32GB M8 for $499.99, specs on box confirm earlier rumors
Just a day after a purported set of new HTC One (M8) specs emerged online, we have further evidence of the phone's high-end internals, along with a cheeky look at its retail packaging. The device pictured above — apparently a 32GB Verizon version of the still unreleased, unannounced new HTC One — went up for sale on...

Largest two Korean operators won't be allowed sell on GS5 launch day
As launch preparations get underway elsewhere, Samsung's new Galaxy S5 is set to experience a delayed launch in the company's home country of South Korea. This is due to a sales ban imposed on Korean mobile operators by the government, according to a report from The Guardian, meaning the two biggest carriers won't be allowed...

Next flagship up for pre-order two weeks ahead of April 11 launch date
Samsung UK has revealed that the Galaxy S5 will be available for pre-order from Friday, March 28 — two weeks ahead of the global launch date of April 11. In the UK, GS5 pre-orders will be available from "selected retailers" as well as Samsung's online store and the company's flagship brick-and-mortar outlet at the Westfield...

Snapdragon 801, 2600mAh battery, touch-to-wake functionality and more revealed in leaked sales guide
We're two weeks out from the launch of the new HTC One — also known by its codename "M8" — but pace of online leaks shows no sign of slowing. Today GSMArena says it's gotten hold of a sales guide for the device, along with details of its hardware specs, confirming much of what we saw from this...

New functionality from third-party organizations
Google has today announced the arrival of add-ons for Google Drive, bringing new capabilities from partner developers to its web-based productivity apps. Activated from the new "Add-ons" menu when editing a document or spreadsheet, add-ons are available from a variety of developers and accessible throughout all your Google Docs or Sheets once...

Mother suing over $69 of in-app purchases through Marvel game
Google is facing a class-action lawsuit over claims it "unfairly" profited from unauthorized in-app purchases by children. The suit was filed by New York mother Llana Imber-Gluck, who says her child spent $68.95 on virtual currency for the Marvel Run Jump Smash! game on Google Play. Law firm Berger & Montague, representing Imber...

Newer silicon boosts GPU, ISP, memory speeds, among other improvements
At Mobile World Congress last month we met some of the first smartphones running Qualcomm's Snapdragon chips, including new flagships from Sony and Samsung. The Xperia Z2 and Galaxy S5 both sport Snapdragon 801 processors, at 2.3 and 2.5GHz respectively. But what, besides CPU clock speed, separates the 801 from the earlier...

Over-the-air updates now pushing out
Samsung's KitKat rollout for 2013 devices continues with the arrival of Android 4.4 for the Galaxy S4 and Galaxy Note 3 in the UK. Updates are rolling out today for the unlocked UK GS4 and Note 3 (region code "BTU"), along with certain carrier variants. The OTA file size from 300-400MB, and brings these phones up to the latest version of Android, 4.4.2...

China Mobile and T-Mobile versions of the new HTC One leaked
HTC might be pixelating the new HTC One in its teaser videos, but online leakers are showing no such discretion. This morning we're seeing two significant leaks of HTC's next big thing — first up, a shaky one-minute hands-on video showing the T-Mobile 32GB version of the phone, dipping into the settings menu to show Android 4.4.2...

PayPal, RunKeeper, Wall Street Journal among partner services
On Galaxy S5 launch day, Samsung promised a wealth of free subscriptions to publications and online services through its Galaxy Gifts program, and today it's revealed the full breakdown of what GS5 buyers will get. The complete list of "gifts" offers subscriptions between three months and two years and covers fitness services like...

32-inch Bravia set offered with Sony's latest smartphone
Vodafone UK is the latest carrier to announce pre-order details for Sony's upcoming flagship phone, the Xperia Z2. The device is now available to pre-order from Voda, with launch day scheduled for April 10. As always, Vodafone offers a range of price plans, but the cheapest monthly contract offering a "free" Xperia Z2 is a £42 per month...

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